[Click! Health] Eye Health of Our Growing Child... Are They Developing Properly?

Unlike other body parts that finish growing by adulthood, vision is generally almost fully developed by the age of 7 to 8. However, parents find it difficult to monitor the development, and even if problems arise, children often cannot clearly express what discomfort they are experiencing, making it easy to overlook issues. With Children's Day approaching, we have summarized what aspects to focus on for eye health at each stage of growth.

[Photo by Kim Eye Clinic]

The newborn period, from 0 to 2 years old, is a time when vision develops and should be monitored. At this stage, vision is such that large objects nearby can be seen vaguely. As the child gradually interacts with their surroundings, visual cells develop and the optic nerve matures. Around 3 months of age, the baby can make eye contact with caregivers, and by 6 months, eye alignment is established, resulting in about 0.2 vision by the first birthday.

Children at this stage have difficulty communicating, making it hard to confirm if vision is developing normally. It is important to carefully observe eye contact, eye alignment, and visual responses to nearby toys at each stage, and if abnormalities are suspected, an ophthalmologic examination is recommended.

From ages 3 to 6, children can communicate and distinguish simple numbers or pictures, allowing for vision testing and more precise ophthalmologic examinations. Around ages 3 to 4, normal vision is approximately 0.5 or higher, and by 4 to 5 years old, it should be 0.6 or higher. If vision development is below these levels or if there is a difference of two or more lines between the two eyes, amblyopia should be suspected.

Common pediatric eye diseases such as strabismus, amblyopia, and refractive errors (myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia) can cause permanent vision impairment if not treated promptly. Especially for amblyopia, studies show that earlier treatment leads to higher success rates. If left untreated until adulthood, vision may not improve even with surgery or treatment, so early detection and prompt treatment are essential. Depending on the type of strabismus, early surgery may be required to develop stereopsis and other visual functions, and since strabismus can affect vision, careful monitoring during the vision development period is necessary.

Ages 7 to 10 are the golden period for myopia treatment. This is because symptoms progress most rapidly during this time. Myopia occurs when the eyeball lengthens beyond normal, and since growth continues during childhood, slowing its progression with treatment is effective. If untreated and allowed to progress to high myopia, the risk of eye diseases that can cause blindness in adulthood, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinal detachment, increases. Recently, treatments using atropine medication and orthokeratology lenses (Dream lenses) have been actively used to slow myopia progression.

Dr. Choi Dae-ye, a specialist at Kim Eye Hospital’s Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology Center, said, “Since eye health in childhood affects a lifetime, it is recommended to have an eye exam at least once a year before vision is fully developed, by age 7 to 8.” She added, “If annual check-ups are difficult, be sure to have examinations at ages 1, 3, and 6 to check for any eye diseases that could affect vision development.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.